Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A PATCH OF BLUE

Aug 6. Cedar is still asleep in the nest she made on the floor last night. She wanted to do it without help and so she did. Justice is in Canada visiting his Mohawk father and brother. The goldfinches are dressing up the trees. How they sparkle in the early sun!
When I was with B-C I saw the old B-C rise up and sparkle for a few dazzling moments. Then drop suddenly away. Her eyelids closed, and her hands fell into her lap.
After breakfast Cedar and I went out and found two wonder stones. Then we went to the park She played with an unknown girl and later with a boy named Sam. I read and tanned my sandal lined feet. Then we returned to the flat for lunch. We watched "Peter Pan" the play, not the movie. Wow! a real stage play.
Then I made us each a wig out of some old blue cheer leader pom poms and took photos. Later we enjoyed a root beer float and waited for Annie as I read story or two. Had supper at Shelly's with Wallis and Michael then watched "Wuthering Heights".
Aug 7. Internet not working! But I saw a lovely leather back turtle swimming across the sky. The birds are usually quiet during the day but their small voices created a splendid choir to accompany Ned Spurlock in his rendition of "Unforgettable". They never sing along with Bobby Darin, Dusty Springfield or Elvis!
I think it is a wonderful luxury to turn over in the bed. B-C cannot turn herself anymore.
Aug 8. Went out to Annie's to feed, water and release the animals. Had breakfast at noon!
Mae Sarton wrote of her friend Eve, 83, "...for whom flowers, birds and raccoons and skunks who come every night to be fed after dark are the most rewarding joys." They had been friends for 53 years! Oh, what a long history they shared.
Yeats was dreaming of bees and beans when he penned, "I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made, Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade." Gladys Taber thought that was too many beans for Yeats. She imagined that the wee fairy folk gathered in the glade at night to pluck and eat the beans. Now I can imagine all those fluttering fairies being gas propelled and jettisoned in the sky.
Wallis called to tell me about the big storm at the Mish Pow-wow. Her tent had an inside pool and her bedding got wet. But she was laughing!
Aug 9. Awakened to a nice fog. How quiet it is at this seaside port. I put on the music of Smokey Robinson and he poured himself into the room.
I had a terrific dream. It began with a knock on the door. I opened the door and saw a very tall man wearing a doctor jacket. It was the kind Richard Chamberlain wore when he was Dr Killdare so I trusted him at once and let him in. He carried a blue box and a tennis racket. "I'm here to test the air quality in your home," he told me. He put his stuff on the table and began writing on a chart. He wrote "Aug 29-30, nearly midnight." "Are you late?" I asked. "Oh, no. I always come early." He attached the racket to the blue box with a very fine wire and proceeded to wave the racket in the air. The box purred. "Should you do the bathroom?" I wondered. I thought he'd find better data in there. He declined with a disgusted sneer, "I'd have to charge extra for that. But I'll do the bedroom for nothing." As he swept the bedroom air I wondered if the air wasn't the same as the living room. He turned to me with a lurid smile, "Now I will know your secrets and your dreams." He began with a chuckle of laughter at my apparent dismay. Then he roared with hideous glee. "What's so funny?" I wanted to know. "Pollen," he replied. Then I recognized him. It was Vincent Price!
Evelyn joined Pearl and me in the Community Room today. They complimented my pretty dress. "You look just like a gypsy," Evelyn said. "Well, I'm leaving on the next caravan," I told her. She added, "I see you in a red wagon pulled by a white horse." You know? I saw it, too. The happy horse wore a pretty bonnet.
Aug 10. What a dream! I was in a car with Deegan and got a marriage proposal. I declined the offer several times but the persistent young man kept presenting reasons why it would be good for both of us. He had a long list and nothing swayed me until he said, "You'd have your own house and yard and garden." There I hesitated and he slipped a ring on my finger. "I made it myself," he told me. It was a charming silver band with a large uncut diamond. "Who will give me away" I asked. A voice from the back muttered, "I will." I turned to see Justice. "Good," said Deegan and started driving."Where are we going?" I asked. "White Earth." When he stopped to pee in the woods Justice asked, "Grandma, are you happy?" "No, not at all." "Well, let's go home!" Just then another car pulled up. The driver was Elaine Miles from Northern Exposure. "Got a problem?" she shouted. "We're going to Deer River and we need a ride," I shouted back at her. "I can get you to Oak Point. We're going to a party out there." She had another woman in the car. All during the ride the ring had been trying to get off my finger and now it fell onto the seat. I put it on the dash for Deegan to find and we got into Marilyn's car and sped away. Before we got to Oak Point Elaine had to pick up two friends. They were a lovable young couple but very overweight. The car was crowded and I started talking about heart disease. Then we were at Oak Point and got out at John's. I was going to ask him to take us to Deer River but he opened the door nude, screamed and ran away. Justice looked at me and said, "We'll have to walk." So that is what we did and I was home in time to wake up in my own bed.
Aug 11. I dreamed I was a MASH nurse going home. I was packing quickly. Then I turned and saw about seven young children sitting on my cot... watching me in silence. Then a man small and old stepped between us. "What about the children?" he asked. Apparently they were my responsibility. "I'll take then with me." He shook his head and smiled. I could hear the chopper coming for me. He said, "You could stay." I shook my head. He left and the children followed him out. Now I could hear rain on the tent and Wallis came in laughing. "Oh, boy! what a storm." My tent is wet and my bed, too. Can I stay with you?" The door opened and a small girl slipped inside. She wore an old hat. a transparent rain coat and shoes. Wallis scooped her up. "She's so cold!" she said. I started to unpack. "I have a dry t-shirt she can wear for a dress. I have socks, too."
Before I went to bed I had been thinking, "If children could name their heroes... who would they choose?" I was even wondering how I could help them discover the heroes in their lives. There must be heroes in Deer River. But I'm only interested in what the children think.
I wrote a note to Pearl and put it on her door. "Pearl lives on the bottom floor, I make my nest above. She said she always hated cats until she fell in love."
Aug 12. Yesterday Cyndy came to help me prepare a living will. What an exhausting hour. In early afternoon I went and got Cedar and Geezis for an ice cream party. I made banana splits.
Today Cedar wanted to come over and I made her a chocolate malt. Then we made two masks. After that we watched "Extraordinary Animal Behavior" and went to Community Cafe with Wallis.
In PM I went to Bemidji with Melanie for Jim Northrup's lecture at BSU Ind. Ctr. I ran into lots of old friends and Pat took my picture with Jim. On our return we a saw a strange formation of bright clouds.
Aug 13. To clinic for blood work. Cedar and I made more masks. I still can't get internet.
In PM I watched "A Patch of Blue". I'd seen it long ago but had forgotten the details. Sidney Poitier was perfect... of course.
Aug 14. I am revisiting the poems of Larry Schug.
On Thursday I discovered that my left front tire is falling apart. Without the internet I feel isolated... and now... no car.
Aug 15. I'm listening to "The Few" by Alex Kershaw. It's about the American fliers who fought in the Battle of Britain. The US was neutral and it was against the law for US citizens to fight for a foreign cause. It's been a quiet Sunday but for the trees... now they toss and twist.

1 comment:

  1. A patch of Blue one of my favorite old movies.
    Cedar is lucky to have a Grandma as fun as you!

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